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LAMB OF GOD Frontman Is Hoping For A ‘Happy Ending’ To His Legal Woes

Steve Appleford of the Los Angeles Times recently conducted an interview with singer Randy Blythe of Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On performing with LAMB OF GOD on the opening night of the Knotfest hard rock festival in Council Bluff, Iowa after being imprisoned in the Czech Republic, facing manslaughter charges in connection with the death of a fan at a 2010 concert:

Randy: “We didn’t have time to practice. I hadn’t sang since the day before I got arrested in Prague, so I was hoping my voice didn’t blow it. It was really, really, really intense. I’ve never felt that way onstage before.”

On LAMB OF GOD‘s return to the road:

Randy: “I have a family at home, and I’m really close to them, but I also have a family on the road. And all of them were like, ‘Dude, we were so worried about you.'”

On his June 27 arrest at the Prague airport while on tour with LAMB OF GOD:

Randy: “When I got to the top of the ramp, there was a SWAT team there: five guys in masks with machine guns, three plainclothes officers and a female chief investigator. They looked like they were there to snatch somebody from al Qaeda, not a member of a rock ‘n’ roll band. Then they handed me a piece of paper saying they were charging me with manslaughter, and I was, ‘Oh my God.’ It was a big shock.”

On how he prepared for a long stay in prison:

Randy: “If I felt anxiety or fear or depression, I really quickly checked myself because that does no good. I’ve been through a good bit in my life. I never ever heard anyone say when a crisis arrived that good advice was to panic.”

On his vow to return to the Czech Republic for a trial if called:

Randy: “Ethically, it’s the right thing to do. The charges are just groundless to me and to a lot of people. I feel obliged to go back. This young man’s family has suffered through this big media explosion and they deserve some answers. Their child is dead. That’s about as bad as it gets.”

On LAMB OF GOD‘s upcoming documentary, which was being filmed on the road before his arrest in the Czech Republic:

Randy: “The director went to Prague with a camera, with my wife, and filmed her cruising around Prague and talked to her about what was going on. This chapter of the movie is closed — I’m back home. But we don’t know what’s going to go on with court. Hopefully it will be a happy ending.”